The MD Mobile Anesthesia Difference
Typically, office-based anesthesia is provided by several different types of anesthesia providers with varying levels of education, training and experience. These include CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists), dentist anesthesiologists and physician (MD) anesthesiologists.
Andre Pinesett, MD, MPH is a PHYSICIAN (MD) anesthesiologist, which means he has completed over 17,000 hours of advanced clinical training (more than 4x the hours of non-physician dental anesthetists). This includes 4 years of rigorous medical school at Stanford Medical School and another 4 years of anesthesia residency at UCSD, where he performed anesthesia for the most complicated patients undergoing the most complex cases like multiple-trauma, brain surgeries, open-heart surgeries, organ transplants and even managing ICU patients.
MD anesthesiologists are the most highly-trained and oldest form of anesthesia provider, but technological and clinical advancements in anesthesia have made what was impossible not too long ago, not only possible, but routine. This has opened the door for “non-physician” providers with less training, like CRNAs and dentist anesthesiologists, to provide anesthesia.
Perhaps 90% of anesthesia is very routine, but 10% of the time your anesthesia provider has just seconds to identify that there’s an issue, diagnose the problem and provide potentially life-saving treatment. When this happens, who do you want caring for you or your child?
Do you want the MD Anesthesiologist with over 17,000 hours of training, or do you want the non-physician provider with less than half the hours of training?
Dr. Pinesett’s Training & Experience
University of California, Irvine (UCI): BS in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA): Masters in Public Health
Stanford University School of Medicine: Medical Degree (top 5% of class)
University of California, San Diego (UCSD): Anesthesia Residency
VA Hospital in La Jolla: Clinical Instructor, Dept. of Anesthesia (teaching UCSD residents and medical students advanced anesthesia techniques)
Dr. Pinesett is able to leverage his extensive training and experience to create a personalized anesthesia plan for each patient, resulting in the safest and most comfortable care, every time!
MD Anesthesiologist vs. Dentist Anesthesiologist
There are two key differences between physician anesthesiologists and dentist anesthesiologists that may impact the safety and quality of anesthesia care.
One, physician anesthesiologists undergo significantly more education and training than dentist anesthesiologists. Physician anesthesiologists are medical doctors who complete four years of medical school followed by four years of residency training in anesthesiology, and they are required to pass a rigorous board certification exam. Dentist anesthesiologists, on the other hand, complete four years of dental school followed by just two to three years of specialized training in anesthesia.
The longer and more comprehensive education and training of physician anesthesiologists gives them a broader and deeper understanding of the underlying medical conditions that can impact anesthesia care, as well as the interactions between anesthesia and other medications that patients may be taking.
Two, physician anesthesiologists typically have more experience actively managing complex medical cases. This includes caring for patients with multiple comorbidities, and managing higher-risk cases like brain surgeries, open-heart surgeries and organ transplants in adults and children. Dentist anesthesiologists have limited exposure to complex cases, and even when they do, they do not independently manage these complex cases and do not make clinical care decisions. Their role is more similar to that of a medical student or first year resident.
